*Chapter 20: Are fortresses, and many other things to which Princes often resort, advantageous or hurtful?*
To Arm or not to Arm?
One of the messages in which Machiavelli tries to pinpoint to his readers is the importance of a Prince knowing when to arm his soldiers; however, there is an appropriate and inappropriate time to do this and an urgency that calls, "... because, by arming them, those arms become yours..." When trying to analyze this phrase, one must think logically. When a ruler supplies his men with arms, they are forever indebted to fight for him; they metaphorically become a Prince themselves, fighting for their country. If you don’t arm your men at a certain point of your rule, you can immediately show them that you distrust them and therefore offend your subjects and, “…these opinions breeds hatred against you.” This is the least you want to do to your people. As a Prince you have to be witty enough to know when it’s okay to arm your men because if you immediately arm them they could rebel against you but if you don’t do it soon enough, they may start questioning whether or not you believe them worthy enough to serve their ruler, people, and country.
An inappropriate time for a Prince to equip his men (as he tends to do), would be if he has barely taken the throne to his rule of a new country. “… a new prince in a new principality has always distributed arms…but when a prince acquires a new state, then it is necessary to disarm the men of that state…” A prince, like mentioned before, has to be intelligent, wise, and patient when it comes to arming his men. If he chooses not to abide by these “rules”, his ignorance will be the cause of his demise.
Who can I trust?
Another message in which Machiavelli tries to demonstrate is the way in which a Prince can win the loyalty of his followers. According to Machiavelli, “Princes, especially new ones, have found more fidelity and assistance in those men who…were distrusted than among…who in the beginning were trusted.” Like Captain Jack Sparrow once said in the movie Pirates of the Carribean, "Me I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly it's the honest ones you have to watch out for, you never can predict if they're going to do something incredibly stupid." Like a captain, a Prince can have an easier chance to win over his subjects if initially they are his enemies because "...the prince always extracts more profit from them than from those who serving him in too much security, may neglect his affairs." When a Prince's subjects are aware that the Prince has ultimate trust and confidence in them, they may tend to not work as hard for the Prince because they already know that they might get away with not doing certain things. Someone who has to work for the Prince to win his trust, will actually have a stronger incentive to work efficiently for the Prince than someone who has already reached a Prince's trust.
Shall we build the Fortress?
According to Princes, it has been a necessity to build fortresses for themselves. Why do they do it? They feel as if a fortress would "...hold their states more securely..." While they may feel some sense of security, building a fortress could actually perturb the relationship that a Prince has built with his subjects. "Fortresses therefore, are useful or not according to circumstances..." Basically there are two occasions in which, a Prince will find himself wondering if it be wise to build a fortress. A) If a "...prince who has more to fear from the people than from foreigners..." or B) if he has "...more to fear from foreigners than from the people ought to leave them alone..." A fortress therefore, is only necessary if the life of the Prince is at risk within his own country or state, not when he fears others outside his "kingdom".
*Chapter 21:How A Prince should conduct Himself as to gain Renown *
The Initiative
To start off, the most important thing for a Prince to do is take the initiative to make himself known. Machiavelli emphasizes that a Prince has to have that strong longing and desire to rule and create a legacy of himself in order to never be forgotten by those who live in his time parameter and for those who live after his death. "... a prince ought, above all things, always endeavour in every action to gain for himself the reputation of being a great and remarkable man."
Choosing Sides
Another message in which Machiavelli strongly emphasizes is the initiative of a Prince to decide whether he will remain neutral or take a side in a time of war. Typically, "...irresolute princes, to avoid present dangers, generally follow the neutral path, and are generally ruined." However, " A prince is also respected when he is either a true friend or a downright enemy..." By remaining neutral, there is no benefit in which a Prince can procure for himself or his country. If it's anything, he must make that decision to choose the side that is presumed to be the underdog so together they can undertake the stronger power. "...a Prince ought to take care never to make an alliance with one more powerful than himself for the purposes of attacking others...if he conquers you are at his discretion, and princes ought to avoid...being at the discretion of any one." If the Prince was to lose along the side of the underdog country, he "...may be sheltered by him..." If they were to win, the Prince could be regarded in the highest esteem with the underdog country. "In either case it will always be more advantageous for you to declare yourself and make war strenuously... if you do not declare yourself, you will ...fall prey to the conqueror..."
Overall, a Prince has to take some kind of chance, otherwise he will lose by not sticking it out with either of the combating parties. Another way to decipher whether or not it is wise to choose to side with a certain state is if, "...he who is not your friend will demand your neutrality, whilst he who is your friend will entreat you to declare yourself with arms..."
Giving Back
A Prince may be the head image of a state or country, but like music stars, they are nothing without their "fans", or in other words, the people who show him the utmost support. A Prince has to know that he needs to "baby" his people in ways that he can, "...show himself a patron of ability..." A Prince should let his people know that he is a human being himself and his best wishes are to please his subjects. "...ought to hold such bodies in esteem, and associate with them sometimes...show himself an example of courtesy..." but he also has to remember to maintain, "...the majesty of his rank, for this he must never consent to abate in anything."
He should, "...offer rewards to whoever wishes to do these things and designs in any way to honour his city or state." There has to be some type of motivation that the Prince has to give to his people so they feel that they are thought of and care about. If they do beneficial deeds that improve the state's or Prince's status, the Prince should recognize his citizens.
Also, it wouldn't hurt the Prince if he spoiled his people, "...with fesivals and spectacle at convenient seasons of the year, and as every city is divided into guilds or into societies..."
To Arm or not to Arm?
One of the messages in which Machiavelli tries to pinpoint to his readers is the importance of a Prince knowing when to arm his soldiers; however, there is an appropriate and inappropriate time to do this and an urgency that calls, "... because, by arming them, those arms become yours..." When trying to analyze this phrase, one must think logically. When a ruler supplies his men with arms, they are forever indebted to fight for him; they metaphorically become a Prince themselves, fighting for their country. If you don’t arm your men at a certain point of your rule, you can immediately show them that you distrust them and therefore offend your subjects and, “…these opinions breeds hatred against you.” This is the least you want to do to your people. As a Prince you have to be witty enough to know when it’s okay to arm your men because if you immediately arm them they could rebel against you but if you don’t do it soon enough, they may start questioning whether or not you believe them worthy enough to serve their ruler, people, and country.
An inappropriate time for a Prince to equip his men (as he tends to do), would be if he has barely taken the throne to his rule of a new country. “… a new prince in a new principality has always distributed arms…but when a prince acquires a new state, then it is necessary to disarm the men of that state…” A prince, like mentioned before, has to be intelligent, wise, and patient when it comes to arming his men. If he chooses not to abide by these “rules”, his ignorance will be the cause of his demise.
Who can I trust?
Another message in which Machiavelli tries to demonstrate is the way in which a Prince can win the loyalty of his followers. According to Machiavelli, “Princes, especially new ones, have found more fidelity and assistance in those men who…were distrusted than among…who in the beginning were trusted.” Like Captain Jack Sparrow once said in the movie Pirates of the Carribean, "Me I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly it's the honest ones you have to watch out for, you never can predict if they're going to do something incredibly stupid." Like a captain, a Prince can have an easier chance to win over his subjects if initially they are his enemies because "...the prince always extracts more profit from them than from those who serving him in too much security, may neglect his affairs." When a Prince's subjects are aware that the Prince has ultimate trust and confidence in them, they may tend to not work as hard for the Prince because they already know that they might get away with not doing certain things. Someone who has to work for the Prince to win his trust, will actually have a stronger incentive to work efficiently for the Prince than someone who has already reached a Prince's trust.
Shall we build the Fortress?
According to Princes, it has been a necessity to build fortresses for themselves. Why do they do it? They feel as if a fortress would "...hold their states more securely..." While they may feel some sense of security, building a fortress could actually perturb the relationship that a Prince has built with his subjects. "Fortresses therefore, are useful or not according to circumstances..." Basically there are two occasions in which, a Prince will find himself wondering if it be wise to build a fortress. A) If a "...prince who has more to fear from the people than from foreigners..." or B) if he has "...more to fear from foreigners than from the people ought to leave them alone..." A fortress therefore, is only necessary if the life of the Prince is at risk within his own country or state, not when he fears others outside his "kingdom".
*Chapter 21: How A Prince should conduct Himself as to gain Renown *
The Initiative
To start off, the most important thing for a Prince to do is take the initiative to make himself known. Machiavelli emphasizes that a Prince has to have that strong longing and desire to rule and create a legacy of himself in order to never be forgotten by those who live in his time parameter and for those who live after his death. "... a prince ought, above all things, always endeavour in every action to gain for himself the reputation of being a great and remarkable man."
Choosing Sides
Another message in which Machiavelli strongly emphasizes is the initiative of a Prince to decide whether he will remain neutral or take a side in a time of war. Typically, "...irresolute princes, to avoid present dangers, generally follow the neutral path, and are generally ruined." However, " A prince is also respected when he is either a true friend or a downright enemy..." By remaining neutral, there is no benefit in which a Prince can procure for himself or his country. If it's anything, he must make that decision to choose the side that is presumed to be the underdog so together they can undertake the stronger power. "...a Prince ought to take care never to make an alliance with one more powerful than himself for the purposes of attacking others...if he conquers you are at his discretion, and princes ought to avoid...being at the discretion of any one." If the Prince was to lose along the side of the underdog country, he "...may be sheltered by him..." If they were to win, the Prince could be regarded in the highest esteem with the underdog country. "In either case it will always be more advantageous for you to declare yourself and make war strenuously... if you do not declare yourself, you will ...fall prey to the conqueror..."
Overall, a Prince has to take some kind of chance, otherwise he will lose by not sticking it out with either of the combating parties. Another way to decipher whether or not it is wise to choose to side with a certain state is if, "...he who is not your friend will demand your neutrality, whilst he who is your friend will entreat you to declare yourself with arms..."
Giving Back
A Prince may be the head image of a state or country, but like music stars, they are nothing without their "fans", or in other words, the people who show him the utmost support. A Prince has to know that he needs to "baby" his people in ways that he can, "...show himself a patron of ability..." A Prince should let his people know that he is a human being himself and his best wishes are to please his subjects. "...ought to hold such bodies in esteem, and associate with them sometimes...show himself an example of courtesy..." but he also has to remember to maintain, "...the majesty of his rank, for this he must never consent to abate in anything."
He should, "...offer rewards to whoever wishes to do these things and designs in any way to honour his city or state." There has to be some type of motivation that the Prince has to give to his people so they feel that they are thought of and care about. If they do beneficial deeds that improve the state's or Prince's status, the Prince should recognize his citizens.
Also, it wouldn't hurt the Prince if he spoiled his people, "...with fesivals and spectacle at convenient seasons of the year, and as every city is divided into guilds or into societies..."